2023: Omo-Agege Under Fire, Described As ‘A Despot’ Not Needed In Delta As Gov

• Current Senate worst in Nigeria’s history, says Oborevwori

Ovie Omo-Agege, the Deputy Senate President and the APC candidate for governor in Delta state, has come under fire from the PDP governorship candidate in the State, Rt. Hon. Sheriff Oborevwori, who called him a despot that the people of Delta don’t need to lead the state in the coming year. 

Oborevwori stated that the current Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, of which Omo-Agege is the Deputy Senate President, was the worst in the history of Nigeria in his speech at the inauguration of the Delta State PDP Campaign Management Committee on Thursday, November 3, 2022, in Asaba, the State Capital. 

His words: “The other day I listened to the brash and unguarded utterances of the APC governorship candidate in Delta State. I wish to remind Deltans that all well-meaning Nigerians agree that the current Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, of which Omo-Agege is the Deputy President, is the worst in the history of Nigeria. Courtesy of this toothless, docile, and rubber stamp Senate, Nigeria’s external debt portfolio currently stands at $40b as at the second quarter of this year. 

“With hyperinflation, naira free fall, escalating food prices, widespread poverty, dilapidated state of federal roads, labour discontent, and general insecurity, let Omo-Agege tell Deltans what these monies were used for”. 

“Lest we forget, Omo-Agege’s tenure as Secretary to the Delta State Government was characterized by parochialism, greed, abuse of power, and undemocratic tendencies.” 

“The records are there for anybody who cares to check.  Let me stop here for now but suffice it to say that Deltans do not need a despot like Omo-Agege, but a liberal, broadminded, and selfless leader like myself who stands for equity and fairness,”  he added. 

He urged every PDP member to remain committed to supporting all PDP candidates for office at the federal and state levels, saying that the party’s strength lies in its grassroots.

“I therefore urge us to prioritise door-to-door campaigning in our wards and units by pounding the pavement.” 

“Unity must be our watchword. Where there are disagreements or grievances, we must act fast and resolve them to ensure that everybody is carried along. The umbrella is big enough to accommodate everybody. Together, we can get it done.”

The PDP candidate for governor of Delta State, who also serves as speaker of the state assembly, who spoke on his stewardship as speaker of the Delta State House of Assembly, said that the work the 6th and 7th Assemblies did in collaboration with the executive to carry out its policies and programmes “makes me incredibly proud”. 

“There are some misguided people who think that the relationship between the Legislature and the Executive must be adversarial. How mistaken”. 

According to him, the  idea of checks and balances was not for the legislature to become a clog in the wheel of progress but to ensure that there was  mutual respect and cooperation in handling governance issues, adding that;  “The fact that you sometimes disagree does not mean you have to be disagreeable. But through dialogue you can iron out your differences in a mature and civilized manner in order to move the ship of state forward. This is what the House has done under my stewardship, and the evidence of the positive impacts of government’s policies and programmes abound everywhere in the state”. 

“I thank God for the opportunity to address you today as the flagbearer of our great party in the 2023 gubernatorial election. I believe I speak for the minds of the majority of us here when I say that, the last five months have been quite demanding. 

“There have been anxious and trying moments but at the end of the day, we have come out better, stronger, more united, and determined to deliver all the PDP candidates in the forthcoming general elections”, he said. 

“It is quite humbling, and with God’s enabling grace, I pledge to deploy everything at my disposal to ensure that the hopes and aspirations of all our party members are realised,” said Oborevwori in response to everyone’s confidence in him to fly the party flag in the governorship Election. 

“Before I proceed further, it is proper that I especially appreciate our leader, His Excellency, Senator, Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa, CON, our amiable governor and party’s Vice-Presidential presidential candidate, for his exemplary, godly, and effective leadership. I recall that Governor Okowa took over the reins of leadership at a very difficult time not only in the country but also in the PDP. For the first time since the inception of the current democratic dispensation, the PDP was in opposition at the federal level and the governor was confronted with the onerous task of keeping intact a political family that was not used to be in opposition,”, the Delta State PDP Governorship Candidate said. 

“Thanks to his political sagacity and adroit leadership, Delta PDP was able to weather the storm. The Governor ensured that party chieftains, especially those disappointed by the outcome of the party primaries in 2014, were embraced with open arms, and treated with dignity and respect. Even the few that jumped ship soon made a comeback when they saw the disposition of our trailblazing governor towards peace, reconciliation, and unity. As a result, the Delta State PDP has continued to wax stronger”, he added. 

Oborevwori who is also the National Deputy Chairman of the Conference of Speakers of state legislatures of Nigeria also said that; “As we have inaugurated the Campaign Management Committee today, I want to stress that Governor Okowa has made our job of campaigning easier. Much easier! The groundbreaking strides of his administration in road and physical infrastructure, urban renewal, entrepreneurship development for our youths, healthcare delivery, and vocational/technical education have touched every part of the state. It is only those who are dishonest or blind – or both – that will have the guts to say otherwise”.